U.S. Pat. No. Re. 26,860 shows a toe lasting machine operable on a shoe assembly formed of a last having an upper draped thereon and an insole secured to its bottom to wipe the toe portion of the margin of the upper against the corresponding portion of the insole. This machine comprises: wiping means mounted for forward and inward movement in a wiping stroke from a retracted position in a wiping plane to wipe the toe portion of the upper margin against the insole; an insole rest, located forwardly of the wiping means in its retracted position, mounted for heightwise movement, so supporting the shoe assembly with the toe portion of the shoe assembly facing rearwardly that the toe portion of the insole bottom is inclined upwardly in a heelward and forward direction relative to the wiping plane after the toe portion of the upper has been stretched about the vamp of the last pursuant to relative upward movement of the insole rest with respect to pincers gripping the toe portion of the upper margin; a heel clamp pad, mounted for movement in forward-rearward directions, located forwardly of the insole rest and engageable, pursuant to its rearward movement, with the heel end of the shoe assembly; a slide mounted for heightwise movement; spring means yieldably urging the slide upwardly; connecting means connecting the heel clamp pad to the slide for heightwise movement therewith; means for lowering the insole rest out of the path of movement of the wiping means during the wiping stroke to prevent engagement of the insole rest by the wiping means during the wiping stroke; and a toe hold-down, located above the insole rest, mounted for downward movement against the vamp of the shoe assembly to press against the vamp of the shoe assembly to clamp the shoe assembly between the toe hold-down and the insole rest prior to the lowering of the insole rest and to thereafter clamp the shoe assembly between the toe holddown and the wiping means, the pressing of the toe hold-down against the rock downwardly until the insole is fully supported by the insole or the wiping means. During the downward rocking of the heel end of the shoe assembly, the heel clamp pad moves downwardly against the force of the spring means to enable the heel clamp pad to continue to engage the heel end of the shoe assembly without shifting with respect to the heel end of the shoe assembly.